Apparatus for filling cans or other receptacles



I 1,626,375 APr11 '1 c. A. ALEXANDERSON APPARATUS FOR FILLING CANS OR OTHER RECEPTACLES Filed Feb. 27, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet l 1".1 li l ml. L

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INVENTOR (Zar/esA.AZe.ra/zdersa BY dyad/67M- LLJ ATTORNEYS April 26 1927.

C. A. ALEXANDERSON APPARATUS FOR FILLING CANS OR OTHER RECEPTACLES GSheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 2'7, 1926 a; M m

' INVENIOR A) ATTORNEYS 1,626,375 Aprll 1927' c. A. ALEXANDERSON APPARATUS FOR FILLING CANS OR OTHER RECEPTAGLES Filed Feb. 27, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ha-rZes A .Aleranaersozz BY x i uwvm @ATTORNEYS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR CharlesAAlamndersmz BY x l/z/ullm i ATTORNEYS Filed Feb. 2'7, 1926 C. A. ALEXANDERSON O O O 0 April 26, 1927.

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April 26, 1927.

c. A. ALEXANDERSON APPARATUS FOR FILLING CANS OR OTHER RECEPTACLES Filed Feb. 27. 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ('lzarlesA A Ze-ran derson llli M ATIORNEYJ Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

CHARLES A. ALEXANDERSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T EUGENE W. DURKEE,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR FILLING CANS OR OTHER RECEPTACLES.

Application filed February 27, 1926. Serial No. 91,037.

My invention relates to apparatus for filling cans or other receptacles, and its several objects are, to provide means for filling the receptacles with a measured quantity of filling material; to provide means for assuring a full discharge of filling material from the measuring chambers, and means for feeding the receptacles to the measuring chambers.

Other features of novelty will appear by the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- V Figure 1 is a side elevation partly broken away of the machine embodying my invention..

Fig. 2,is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on broken line 3-3, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the broken line 44, of Fig. 3.:

Fig. 5 is a detail section onthe broken line 55, of Fig. 4. a I

Fig. 6 is a side view of the delivery end of the machine, partly broken away and of the side opposite that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view on broken line 77, of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is an elevation at the feeding end 'of the machine, and

Fig. 9 is a side view at the same end of" the machine partly broken away.

In connection with my present invention, and mounted upon the same frame, I prefer to employ mechanism for capping the cans after they have received the filling material, but such mechanism forms the subject matter of my co-pending application Serial No. 756,385 filed December 17, 1924 of which the present application is a continuation in part.

Referring to the drawings, the frame of the machine comprises the corner postslO, central side posts 11, lower longitudinal beams 12, upper longitudinal beams 13, connected by the uprights 14, 15, 16, 17 and 17',

and cross beams 18, 19 and 20, the top 21 being fiat.

22 indicates a motor supported upon the frame, and provided with a shaft 23 upon which is fixed a pulley 24.

25 indicates a shaft mounted in bearings in the frame upon which is fixed. a pulley 26. A belt 27 passes over these pulleys 24 and 26. A pinion 28 is fixed to'the shaft 25 which meshes with a gear 29 fixed to a shaft 30,

mounted in bearings in the frame. A pin- 1on 31 is fixed to the middle of the shaft 30, which engages a gear 32 fixed to a shaft 33. A bevel gear 34 on one end of the shaft.33 engages a bevel gear 35, on a shaft 36, mounted in bearings 37 and 38 in the frame. A bevel gear 39 fixed to the center of the shaft 33, engages a" bevel gear 40 on the lower end of a vertical shaft 41.

A bevel gear 43 is fixed to the end of the shaft 36 which engages a bevel gear 44, on a shaft 45mounted in bearings in the uprights 15, and on the other end of this shaft 45 is a crank 46 pivoted to one end of a con-- nection rod .47 the other end of such rod being pivoted to a' bell crank lever 48 loosely mounted on the end of a shaft 49 fixed to which shaft is a ratchet wheel 50. A pawl 51 is pivoted to the other end of the bell crank lever 48 and engages the ratchet wheel 50. 1

Fixed to theishaft .49 in spaced relation are four sprockets 52. 53 is another shaft atthe other end of the machine to which are fixed four sprockets 54; chains 55 pass over these sprockets and the sprockets 52. It will thus be seen that the chains 55 which carry the cans forward are given an intermittent movement.

The shaft 53 is mounted in bearings 56 which are positioned in slots in brackets 57, and these hearings can be adjusted 'to take up any slack in the chains 55 by means of the set screws 58.

Two of these chains 55 on each side of the machine are connected together by cross bars 59 between which the receptacles 60 are placed and are carried along thereby, sliding upon the top plates 61. The chains 55 also ride over these plates. There a-rejlongitudinal guide rails 62 on each side of each row of receptacles. tached to the top of the plate 61.

Secured to the top of the cross beams 19 are four longitudinal strips 63 over which the chains ride below the bed of the machine and are supported thereby without sa ging.

While the receptacles 60 may be placed between the cross bars 59 on either or all the conveyor chains 55, by theioperat'or or operators, as illustrated in my said application Serial No. 756,385, I prefer to employ a plat- These guide rails areatform 64 arranged transversely of the machine at the feeding end, at a height corresponding with the conveyor chains 55, such platform having a longitudinal flange 65 and being supported upon brackets 66 bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the posts 10 of the frame of the machine at the feeding end.

On each side of the platform 64 there Is a'vcrtical longitudinal wall 67, supported upon the brackets 65.

The space between the sidewalls 67 is open at one end of the platform, but at ts other end I provide a stop member 68 suitably secured between the side walls 67.

These side walls are each provided with openings 69 in alignment with the spaces between the longitudinal guide rails 62, and I prefer to provide guide strips 7 0 at each side of the openings 69, which strips are bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the outer side of the inner wall 67, and preferably extend to or adjacent the ends of the guide rails 62 at that end of the machine.

An endless conveyor belt 71 travels over the platform 64, said belt running over pulleys 72 and 73 fixed to the short shafts 74 and 7 5, which shafts are mounted in hearings in the brackets 76 and 77 at each end of the platform 64 to which they are suitably secured.

A s rocket wheel 78 is fixed to the short shaft 4, and another sprocket wheel 79 is fixed upon the end of a shaft 36, while a chain 81 passes over the sprocket wheels 78 and 79 by means of which the short shafts 74 and are rotated, driving the conveyor belt 71 the shaft 36 being rotated by the bevel gear 34 on shaft 33.

The cans or other receptacles 60 to be filled, are placed upon the belt 71 by the operator, and are carried forward by the belt until the first receptacle strikes the stop member 68, when the movement of the receptacles is momentarily checked with a receptacle in exact alignment with the spaces between the guide strips 70. It is of course necessary that the receptaclesbe moved from such position onto the chaines 55, and between the cross bars 59, in order that they be.

carried forward to receive the filling material. To accomplish this, I provide a plurality of spaced pusher blocks 82 which are attached toone end of the plates 83, the other ends of which plates enter longitudinal slots in the upper surface of brackets 84 in which they are slidably secured by cross strips 85bolted or otherwise secured to said brackets.

The end of each plate 83 projecting rearwardly of the slots in the brackets 84 is provided with a downwardly projecting stop pin 86, to the lower end of which is secured one end of a spiral spring 87, the other ends 7 of these springs being connected to lugs 88 upon the bottom of the brackets 8|. The expansion of these springs normally holding the .pusher blocks 82 in their extreme forward position. The brackets 84 are each keyed upon a horizontal shaft 89, the emls of this shaft being supported in bearings 90 upon the upper ends of the arms 91., the lower ends of such arms being pivotally mounted upon the horizontal shaft 92 mount;- ed in bearings 93 fixed to one of the, cross beams of the machine.

A sprocket wheel 94 is lixcd to the shaft 33, and another, sprocket wheel 95 is lixed to the shaft 96, over which a sprocket chain 97 passes, rotating the shaft 96 which is mounted in hearings in the frame of the machine.

Adjacent each end of the shaft 96 a grooved cam 98 is fixed thereto. One end of a rod 99 is pivotally connected to each of the arms 91 by pivot pins 100, a bifurcated member 101 being connected to the other end of each.

rod 99, which member straddles the shaft 96, there being a roll 102 on each of said members 101, which rolls work in the grooves of the respective cams 98 whereby during the rotation of the shaft 96 the pusher blocks 82 will be moved forward and backward, and upon each forward movement the usher blocks will strike the receptacles 60 in line therewith, pushing them between the guide strips 70 and onto the conveyor chains 55 which carry them forward to the filling mechanism next described.

103 denotes a tank for holding the filling material, supported on opposite sides by upright rods 104 and 105, the lower ends of which are reduced in diameter andset into sockets 106 and 107, upon the frame of the machine. This tank is preferably of oblong ,shape having a cover 108 in the center of which is a tube 109 through which the filling material is supplied.

An agitator is arranged within the tank .103'consisting of a strip 110 provided with spaced pins 111 extending from bothsides. This strip 110 is pivotally connected at each end to links 112. The other ends of these links are connected to two spaced rods 113 which pass through holes in the tank 103 and extend a short distance therefrom 011 both sides, there bein bearings 114 on the tank for one end, while the other ends are connected to cranks 115, connected by, a link 11.6 which in turn is pivotally connected to a crank 117 fixed upon one end of a' shaft 118, which passes through bearings 119 and 120, the bearings 120 being supported by a bracket 121 fixed to an upright 122 supported upon the top of the frame of the machine. A bevel gear 123 is fixed to the other end of the shaft 118 and meshes with abevel gear 124 fixed to the upper end of the vertical shaft 41.

It will be seen that during the rotation communication may be shut off when desired by means of four slides 131, 'one for each tube, which pass through slots between the flange 125 and plate 126 and are each provided at their outer end with a finger grip Each of the tubes 127, 128, 129 and 130.

is provided with an annular flange 133 at its lower end, which is seated upon the top of another tubular member 134, towhichit is secured by screws 135 or any other suitable means. These members 134 are each provided with an annular groove into which is fitted'the inwardly flanged upper end of a coupling 136, which'couplings are each made in two equal parts, held together by screws or bolts 137. These couplings surround the members 134 at a predetermined distance below the upper ends of said members 134, being interiorly threaded below. theirflanged upper ends, and are also provided with bevel gears 138 on their outer upper surfaces. The threaded interior of the couplings 136 engage screw threads on the outer surface of hollow sections 139, which sections are each provided with an annular flange 140 at their lower ends, which seat upon similar flanges 141, upon the upper ends of other tubular members 142, the flanges being secured together by bolts or screws 143 or other suitable means.

The open lower ends of these members 142 extend intothe open upper ends of hoppers 144, which are inte ral with a bracket 145 guided on each side y the vertical rods 104 and 105. s

146 indicates four shut ofi plates, one of which passes through a slot 1n the flange 133, on each of the tubes 127, 128, 129 ano. 130, being rounded on the end entering such tubes to conform to the interior surface thereof. The other ends of these shut off plates 146 being secured to lugs 147 integral with a bracket 148 which carries all four lugs. A rod 149 is fixed to the center of the bracket 148 and is supported in a tubular bearing 150 fixed to the upright 122 bolted to the bridge 151 fixed to the top.

of the frame on each side of the machine.

/ The free end 152 of the rod 149 is forked and straddles the vertical shaft 41.

A roll 153 is provided in the forked end of the rod 149, which roll acts within a vertical shaft 41.

groove in the under surface of a cam 154 fixed to the shaft 41.

It will thus be seen that during the rotation of the shaft 41, the communication between the tubes 127, 128, 129 and 130, and the tubular members 134, will be alternately opened and closed. I

The under surfaces of the flanges 140 on the hollow sections 139 are slotted on one side, through each of which slots a shut oif plate 155 is slidable in such manner as to open and close. communication between the hollow sections 139 and the tubular members 142.

The outer ends of these shut off plates 155 are each connected to one end of a link 156 by screws or bolts 157, or other suitable means, while the other ends of such links are connected to bearings 158, each provided with a vertical slot 159, in which the pins .160 connecting the links 156 are slidable. These bearings 158 are integral with a bracket 161.

A rod 162 is secured to the bracket 161; this rod passes through a tubular bearing 163, fixed to the upright 122; the free end 164 of said rod is forked and straddles the A roll 165 is provided in this forked end of the rod, which roll acts within a groove in the upper surface of 'a cam '166 fixed to the shaft 41.

A sleeve 167 surrounds the shaft 41 between the forked ends of the rods 149 and 162.

. The cams 154 and 166 are positioned upon the shaft 41 so that the respective shut off plates 146 and 1 55 are operated alternately, that is, when the upper plates 146 close the bottoms of the tubes 127, 128, 129 and 130, the lower plates 155 are withdrawn from over the tops of the tubular members 142, thereby allowing any filling material contained in the members 134 to drop by gravity into the members 139, and 142, from which it is discharged into the hoppers 144. The members 134 and 139 are at all times in communication and form the measuring chambers for thefilling material.

The capacity of these chambers may be regulated by means of the threaded connection of the members 139 with the couplings 136, there being bevel gears 168 meshing with each of the bevel gears 138 on said couplings, the gears 168 being upon one end of shafts 169 in bearings 1'70 supported by the brackets 171, integral with or connected to the outer surface of each of the tubes 127, 128, 129 and 130. The other end of each shaft 169 is provided with a thumb nut 17 2, by means of which the bevel gearsv 168 may be operated by hand.

The turning of the gears 168 in one direction raises the members 139 and 142, thus lessening the holding capacity of the members134 and 139, while the turning of the ability of the measuring chambers, the.

quantity of filling material supplied to the receptacles may be varied in the different rows, if desired.

It is very desirable that when communication between the members 139 and 142 is established, there should be a full discharge of the filling material contained in the members 134 and 139, and for accomplishing thls purpose, I provide an annular groove 173 connecting with the interior of the members 134 by diagonal passages 174; One end of an air tube 175 passes through a hole in each of the flanges 133, on the tubes 127, 128, 129

and 130, and communicates with each of the annular grooves in the members 134. The other ends of these air tubes 175 connect with a horizontal pipe 176 which connects with a vertical pipe 177, in which there is a valve 178 controlled by a lever 179 on the free end of which is a roll 180, which contacts with a projection 181 upon the periphery of the cam 154. The pipe 177 is connected with a compressed air tank, not shown. The contact of the roll 180 with the projection 181 on the cam 154, occurs at the moment that the shut off plates 155 are withdrawn uncovering the tubular members a 142, whereby a pufi' of compressed air is forced into each of the hollow members 134,

through the pipe 176, tubes 17 5, annular/has grooves 173, and diagonal openings 174, as the filling material is being discharged into the tubular members 142. The diagonal positioning of the air passages 174 impart a whirl to the current, which assures a .full and clean discharge of the filling material from the members 134.

The hoppers 144 are given an up and down movement by means of links 182, piv-. otally attached at their upper ends to the bracket 145 carrying such hoppers, thelower ends of the links 182 being each pivotally connected to one end of levers 183, in the middle of each of which is a roll 184, which ride on cams 185, fixed on a shaft 186 supported in bearings in the frame of the ma chine. A gear 187 fixed on the shaft 186 is driven by the gear 32 on shaft 33. Spiral springs 188 normally hold down the levers 18 3, one end of such springs being attached to such levers, while their other ends are attached to the frame of the machine. Vertical rods 189, one on each side of the machine, are connected at their up er ends to the bracket 145, and slide in t e bearings 106 and 107.

A roller 190 is attached to thelower end of the rods 189, which rollers come into contact with cams 191 fixed to a cross shaft 192.

the bottom of which is secured in any suit-' able manner, a ring 198, its interior being outwardly inclined, and the opening being of a size to fit over the tops of the receptacles when the hoppers are lowered.

In the path of each row of receptacles the top 21 or bed of the machine is provided with an opening directly in alignment with the hoppers 144. Each of these openings are closed by a plate 199, the top surface of which is normally flush with the bed of the machine, so that there is no possibility of the receptacles striking it or being checked thereby in their forward movement over the bed. These plates 199 are attached to the upper ends of 'verticalrods 200, supported in hangers 201 provided with bottom hubs 202 through a central bore in which the lower ends of the rods 200 extend, there being a nut or collar 203 fixed to the lower projecting end of each rod.

A spiral spring 204 surrounds each rod 200 between the plates 199 and upper surface of the hubs 202.

Each can or receptacle 60 as it is receiving the fillingmaterial from the hoppers 144, rests upon one of'these plates 199, so that it a resilient support, and no injury can be made to a receptacle even if it isa trifle taller than the average height of the rece tacles being fed; furthermore a slig t shaking is given the receptacles which tends to settle and even their contents.

205 denotes brace rods for the tank 103.

There are openings in the bed of the machine for the passage of the belts 55. I prefer to employ on each side of the machine extending longitudinally thereof, a flat covering strip 206, supported above the bed of the machine by short posts 207, and also a central strip 208, supported in like manner. 209 and 210 indicate two hand levers, one on each side of the machine by which the clutch .for starting or stopping the machine may be operated from either side.

The intermittent movement of the chains '55 conveying the cans or other receptacles 60 to the filling mechanism permits each receptacle in succession to come to rest momentarlly beneath the hoppers 144, or sufliciently Leaders adapted for use with four rows of cans, it

will be apparentthat this number may be increased or lessened if desired, and that the machine can be employed for filling receptacles of different shapes, without departing from the nature and spirit of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a machine for filling receptacles, and in combination, a tank provided with an opening in its bottom, a tube connected to said tank and depending therefrom in register with said opening, means for closing such opening, an adjustable measuring chamber connected to the lower end of said tube and communicating therewith, a discharge tube connected with the bottom of-said measuring chamber, means for shutting oflf communication between said measuring chamber and said first tube, and between said measuring chamber and discharge tube, a hopper into which the lower end of said discharge tube extends, means for supporting the hopper, and means for admitting intermittent currents of compressed air tangentially to said'measuring chamber, all in vertical alignment.

2. In a machine for filling receptacles, and in combination, atank with an opening in its bottom, a tube connected to said tank and depending therefrom in register with said opening, means for closin such opening, an adjustable measuring eliamber connected to the lower end of said tube and communicating therewith, a discharge tube connected with the bottom of said measuring chamber, means for shuttingoff communication between said measuring chamber and said first tube, and between said measuring chamber and discharge tube, a hopper into which the lower end of said discharge tube extends, means for supporting said hopper and giving it vertical movement, and means for admitting intermittent currents of compressed air tangentially to said measuring chamber, all in vertical alignment.

3. In a machine for filling receptacles, and in combination, a tank provided with an opening in its bottom, a tube connected to said tank and depending therefrom in register with said opening, means for closing such opening, anadjustable measuring chamber connected to the lower end of said tube and communicating therewith, a discharge tube connected with the bottom of said measuring chamber, means for shutting off communication between said measuring chamber and said first tube, and between said measuring chamber and discharge tube, a hopper into which the lower end of said dischar e tube extends,.means for supporting sai hopper and giving it vertical movement, means for conveying the receptacles into position below said hopper and in alignment therewith, and means for admitting intermittent currents of compressed air tangentially to said measuring chamber, the elements of the filling unit being all in vertical alignment.

4. In a machine for filling receptacles, and in combination, a tank provided with an opening in' itsbottom, a tube connected to said tank and depending therefrom 1n register with said opening, means for closing such opening, an adjustable measuring chamber connected to the lower end of said tube and communicating therewith, a discharge tube connected with the bottom of said measuring chamber, means for shutting off communication between said measuring chamber and said first tube, and between said measuring chamber and discharge tube a hopper into which the lower end of said discharge tube extends, means for supporting said hopper and giving it vertical movement, a resilientsupport for the receptacles below said hopper in alignment therewith. means for conveying thereceptacles to said resilient support, and means for admitting intermittent currents of compressed air to.

said measuring chamber.

5. In a machine for filling receptacles, and in combination, a tank provided with a plurality of spaced openings in its bottom, a plurality of tubes connected to the bottom of said tank and depending therefrom in register with the respective openings, separate means for closing such openings, an adjustable measuring chamber connected to the lower end of each tube and communicating therewith, means for shutting 011' such communication, a discharge tube connected with the bottom of each measuring chamber, means for simultaneously shutting off communication between said measuring chambers and discharge tubes, and means for simultaneously admitting intermittent currents of compressed air tangentially to each measurin chamber, the elements of each filling unitbeing all in vertical align ment.

6. In a machine for filling receptacles, and

in combination, a tank provided with a pluwhich the lower end of one of said discharge tubes extends, means for supporting said hoppers, and meansfor simultaneously ad mitting intermittent currents of compressed air tangentiall to each measuring chamber, the elements 0 each filling unit being all in vertical alignment. I

7. In a machine for filling receptacles, and in combination, a tank provided with a plurality of spaced openings in its bottom, a plurality of tubes connected to the bottom of said tankand depending therefrom in register with the respective openings, separate means for closing such openings, an adjustable measuring chamber connected to the lower end of each tube and communicating therewith, a discharge tube connected with the bottom. of each measuring chamber, means for simultaneously shutting off communication between said measuring chambers and the first named tubes, and between said. measurin chambers and discharge tubes, a plurality of hoppers into each of which the lower end of one of said discharge tubes extends, means for supporting said hoppers and giving vertical movement thereto, and means for simultaneously admitting intermittent currents of compressed air to each measuring chamber.

8. In a machine for filling receptacles, and in combination, a tank provided with a plurality of spaced openings in its bottom, a plurality of tubes connected to the bottom of said tank and depending therefrom in register with the respective openings, separate means for closing such openings, an adjustable measuring chamber connected to thelower end of each tube and communicating therewith, a discharge tube connected with the bottom of each measuring chamber, means for simultaneously, shutting off communication between said measuring chambers and the first named tubes, and between said measuring chambers and discharge tubes, a plurality of hoppers into each of which the lower end of one of said discharge tubes extends, means for supporting said hoppers and giving a vertical movement thereto, means for conveying the receptacles into position below the respective hoppers and in alignment therewith, and means for admitting intermittent currents of comtherewith, a discharge tube connected with the bottom of each measuring chamber, means for simultaneously shutting of! communication between said measuring chambers and the first named tubes, and between said measuring chambers and discharge tubes, a plurality of hoppers into each of which the lower end of one of said discharge tubes extends, a resilient support for the receptacles below each hopper in alignment therewith, means for conveying the receptacles to said resilient supports, and means for admitting intermittent currents of compressed air tangentially to each measuring chamber.

Signed by 1926. v

' CHARLES ALEXANDERSON.

me this 19th day of February 

